Mixing machine



June 1950 J. J. DUGAS 2,513,012

MIXING men-11m:

Filed 14, 19 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1

grwwo'o JOSEPH J DUGAS June 27, 1950 J, DUGAS 2,513,012

MIXING MACHINE Filed Aug. 14, 1947 4 sheets-sheet 2 3 vwmioz 31 JOSEPH J. nus/1s Quo um June 27, 1950 J. J. DUGAS 2,513,012

MIXING MACHINE Filed Aug. 14, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig. 3'

29 v 39 3O 24 23 55 57 j as r 31 I 41 4a 3 z swam ton JOSEPH J. DUGAS hwmzf ww J. J. DUGAS MIXING MACHINE June 27, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 14, 1947 gvwwwtm JOSEPH J. DUGAS Patented June 27, 1950 MIXING MACHINE Joseph J. Dugas, New Orleans, La.; assignor to Higgins Industries, Inc., New Orleans, La.

Application August 14, 1947, Serial No. 768,549

Thi invention relates to mixing machines and more particularly to machines for mixing the ingredients of certain types of so-called aerated concrete. 1 1

In making the mix for aerated concrete, the ingredients must be subjected to a much more thorough mixing than is necessary for making ordinary concrete. In fact, a simple mixing will not sufiice. They must be beatenwith practically what amounts to a whipping actionto obtain the desired results. It has been found by experiment that amore satisfactory mix is obtained if the dry ingredients are added slowly to the water during the mixing operation. v

It is the object of the present invention to provide'a mixing machine which, 'due toits construction, will submit the ingredients of the mix to a thorough and complete mixing actionaccompanied by beating. 1

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine which will feed the liquid in bulk and the dry ingredients to the liquid in small measured amounts during the mixing operation;

A further object of the invention is to provide a mixing machine in which a re-circulation of the mix is employed, with the dry ingredients being added directly into the incomingre-circulation stream.

A still further object is the provision of means to cause the re-circulation stream to set up a swirling motion'as added agitation to more thoroughly mix the ingredients.

It is also an object to provide means toforce the mix through the mixing tank so that all portions of the mix will receive equal action and none will be permitted to lie quiescent during the mixing operation.

Itis also contemplated that a circulation pum will be employed, the pump being of such design that it will not only serve to circulate the mix but also as a mixing means.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one practical embodiment of the invention when taken in conjunction with the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a mixing machine embodying the principle of the present invention; I

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof; V

Figure 3 is an end elevationof the machine looking at the right hand end as viewed in Figure Claims. (Cl. 259161) 2 Figure 4 is a vertical section through the mixing tank and circulation pump;

Figure 5 is a horizontal section through themixing tank taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a horizontal section through the circulation pump taken on line 6-6 of Figure 4; and

Figure 7 is a detailed view of the mechanism for controlling certain of the valves.

The machine disclosed in the drawings is a wheeled vehicle having mounted thereon storage tanks for receiving the liquid and the dry in= gredients of the mix, and a tank in which these ingredients are mixed. Means are employed to circulate the mix so that each batch is passed forward end. Mounted upon the frame I are,

suitable vertical supporting members 4 to which are attached horizontal frame members 5 to provide a skeleton frame for supporting the various elements of the machine. As the machine is relatively large, the skeleton frame is divided so as to form lower and upper levels, with asuit able deck 6 on' the upper level which may be? reached by means of ladder I suspended from the frame. Supported by the skeleton frame on the upper level are a tank for dry ingredients 8 and a tank for liquid 9. H

Tank 8 is in the form of a hopper and may be provided with a plurality of vertical partitions I0 separating the hopper into chambers of equal size which may form a convenient mean for measuring the quantities'of the different ingredients to be placed in the tank, such as cement and sand. The hopper is taperedat its lower end, the sides being inclined as at I 1 forming a throat whichterminates in an elongated outlet l2 at the bottom. Directly below the out let l2 is a horizontal trough 13 in which is positioned a spiral conveyor I4 driven by means tobe later described. A door I5 controls the outlet.- l2 and is slidably positioned beneath the-outlet Suitable guides 16 are provided at either end of the out-J let l2 to receive the ends of the door l5, and hold; it in horizontal position in either its closed '01" One or more racks "are at-;

in the upper part .of the. trough l3.

open position.

The unit ting off the supply of water.

' tached to the underside of the door l5 and mesh with pinions l8 mounted at spaced points upon and is provided with an operating wheel 20, by means of which the shaft can be rotated to move the door to and from closed position. With the door closed, dry ingredients are placed in the hopper 8, enough of each ingredient being placed in the tank to fill the desired number of spaces between the partitions I0. At the proper time, wheel 29' is rotated to open door [5 and permit the ingredients to fall downward by gravity into the trough l3 where conveyor l4 moves, them fornipple 23, and the other afloat controlled valve 25.. connected to the outlet end of pipe 22 directly above the top of tank 9. Valve 25 is provided with a, suitable float 26 connected to the valvev by means of conventional linkage 21. A float gauge 28 may be provided so that the amount of water within the tank may begdetermined from the ground without the necessity for climbing to the'upper level and looking into the tank. Tank 9 is also in the form of a hopper, having an out let 29 in its bottom to which is connected a sec-- ond. quick opening gate valve 311.

Gate valves 24. and 30 are connected by means of linkage for simultaneous operation, the linkage being such that when one valve is open,j the other will be closed. The linkage is controlled by means of a hand lever 3i connected to a shaft 32supported in brackets 33 connected to one of the horizo'ntalframe members 5. At. the proper points along shaft 32 arms 33 and Marc secured;

Ann 33. is connected by means of a link 35 to the operating lever 39 of valve-39, and arm 34 is connected by means of link 31 to the operating:

arm 38 of valve 24. It will thus be evident that. movement of the control handle 3! will cause.

simultaneous movement of the valves.

valve 39 is closed, valve 24will be open permitting water to flow through pipe 22 and valve 25 into When tank 9; As the water rises inv thetank, it will lift float ball 26 causing valve 25 to close, shutpermits a definite control of the amount of. water received within the tank for each batchof concrete to be mixed. Whenlevertl is moved to open valve 30 to discharge the contents of the:

tank, valve 24 is closed preventing additional water from entering the tank. A pipe 39 -may. be attached to valve 39 to lead the supply of water to. any desired point.

Supported by the framework of the lower level' is a mixing tank 49 having its open upper end 4| positioned below the outlet end' of trough l3 and the outlet end of pipe 39 so that the contents of both the dry ingredients hopper 8 and the liq with an inverted cone-shaped lower portion. The

lower portion of the tank terminates in an outlet opening 42 which is'directly connected to the inlet of a centrifugal pump 43. The outlet 44 of pump 43 is connected to pipe line 45' which 5 has two branches, 4B and "41. Branch #46, controlled by valve-48, is connected to the upper This arrangement serves both to re-circulate the liquid through line 46 and to force the mix through line 41 to the forms.

As mentioned above, pipe line 46 is connected to the upper part of tank 40, and thisc'onnection is at such point and the angle of the pipe leading into the connection is such that the stream of mix is directed horizontally across the tank 49, so that the stream impinges upon the far wall of the tank more or less tangentially, the wall of the tank serving to turn the stream to give it a swirling-motiomthe stream following the contour of the inner wall of the tank. The swirling motion described is in horizontal plane but it is desired that the stream be deflected downwardly intheform. of a spiral. For this purpose, a deflector 5% is angularly positioned against the side wall. of, the tank just beyond the point of impingement of the stream of. mix. After the stream is turned by striking the wall of the-tank, itwillthen strike the undersurface of the deflector 5-5 and. be turned slightly in a downward direction, the component of the forces causing the stream to follow a downward spiral after leavingthe deflector 5 I.

52. The lower end of shaft 52 is connected to the,

impeller 58 of pump 43. Positioned on shaft 52 at a point near the bottomiof'the mixing tank 49 are flat mixing paddles 59 which rotate and heat the mix. Under ordinary circumstances the action of the paddles 59 would tend to stop. the downward movement'of the mix and to some extent lift it. baiiies 59 are positioned in the conical lower portion of tank 49, the :bafiles being inclined downwardly and in. thedirection of the spiralimovzement of the. re-circulating.stream., Thus, when the mix arrives at the lower portionof the' tank it strikes the spiral baffles and is deflected at a sharper angladownward giving sufiicient added downward impetus to the stream to overcome the lifting tendency-of the paddlesso that the stream will continue downward through: outlet 42 into ings that the impeller 58 of-pump 45' is smaller thanthe inner dimensions of the, pumphousing so that a certain free annular space, is provided.

beyond the ends ofthe impeller-blades. This lowers'thepump efficiency somewhat, but permits the pump to serve asv an-added'mixing elem merit, so that the mix is thoroughly beaten by rotation withinth pump chamber before going out through the outlet 44. f

It will be noted from the drawings that outlet 2i of trough [3 is positioned directly above the incoming re-circulation stream so that thetrough,

empties into. this stream and the dry ingredients arecaught by the stream and carried along with it. The action of the conveyor f4wi1l cause the dry ingredients to be fed into this streamin a slow, continuous, measured amount so that the Motor 53-is fastened 'to s;

Shaft 590i screw conveyor I4 is.

To prevent'this, a series of spiral.

dry ingredients are fed evenly into the entire moving batch, preventing the possibility of 'caking or lumping.- I

In operation, handle 3 is moved to close outlet valve 30 at-the bottom'of liquid was 9 and open inlet valve 24in pipe-linen, permitting water from a suitable source-to flow through pipe 22 and fill tank 9-. As the water level'rises in the tank float 26 will lift'fclosing valve 25 to cut off the flow of waterj whena predetermined measured quantity is'in the tank. Dry ingredients are then dumped .into'ylicpper 8,.suflicient bins defined 'by partitions "lll'being filled in 'proportion to the batch to be mixed. Hand lever 3| is then moved to open valve 30 and close valve 24 permitting the water in tank 9 to flow into the mixing tank 40. Either before or after the water is emptied into the mixing tank, motor 53 may be started to begin the rotation of the screw conveyor M, the paddles 59 within tank 40, and the centrifugal pump 43. During the mixing operation, valve 49 in pipe line 41 is closed and valve 48 in pipe line 46 is open. After the water is in the mixing tank and re-circulation is begun, hand wheel 20 is operated to open door to permit the dry ingredients to fall in trough l3. Conveyor I4 will immediately begin to move these ingredients forward slowly so that they fall over the edge of the outlet end 2| of the trough I3 into the tank 49. As described above, outlet 2| of trough I3 is so positioned that the dry ingredients will fall into the incoming re-circulation stream and be carried by the stream. The incoming stream strikes the inner wall of tank 40 and is turned to begin a swirling motion which motion is deflected downwardly by deflector 51, causing the stream to follow a downwardly spiraling path. Near the bottom of the tank, the stream strikes the baflles 60 and is deflected downward at a sharper angle into the path of paddles 59 which subject the mix to a beating action. The mix then passes out of tank 40 into pump 43 where it receives a further mixing and beating before again being re-circulated through pipe 46. After all of the contents of hopper 8 have been emptied into the mixing tank and the entire batch is thoroughly mixed, certain chemicals or other ingredients are dropped into tank 40 and mixing continues for a desired time. Valve 49 is then opened and valve 48 closed and the mix is pumped through hose 5!! for pouring into building forms. After the entire batch has been poured, the above operation is repeated. After all of the dry ingredients have been emptied from the hopper 8 but while the mixing still continues, door [5 may be closed and the ingredients for the next batch may be put in the hopper. At the same time, hand lever 3| may be moved to close valve 30 and open valve 24 to permit the tank to refill. In this way, no time will be lost between the mixing of separate batches.

While in the above there has been described one practical embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that many changes may be made from the precise structure shown without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A mixing machine comprising, a cylindrical mixing tank having an inlet and an outlet, beater means within the tank, a return line from said outlet to a point adjacent said inlet, said line entering the side of the tank at such angle that a stream of mixture emerging from said line will strike the far side of the tank tangentially thereof to change the direction-of travel ofsaid stream, and a deflector crossing the plane of said line 'enteringsaid. tank and in the path of said stream after its direction change to turn the stream downwardly wherebyv the stream will follow a, spiral course about the interior of the,

.tank, and baffles in said tank adjacent and above said beater inclined in the direction of travel of said stream but at a steeper angle to further deflect the course of said stream downwardly into and through said beater, and means in said line to force mixture through said line;

1 2i A mixing machine comprising, a cylindrical mixing tank having an inlet and an outlet, beater means within the tank, a return line from said outlet to a point adjacent said inlet said line entering the side of the tank at such angle that a stream of mixture emerging from said line will strike the far side of the tank tangentially thereof, means in said line to force mixture through,

said line, and means for feeding dry ingredients to the tank, having an outlet positioned at a point directly above the stream of mixture emerging from said line whereby the dry ingredients are added to the mix in said stream.

3. A mixing machine comprising, a cylindrical mixing tank having an inlet and an outlet, beater means within the tank, a return line from said outlet to a point adjacent saidinlet, said line entering the side of the tank at such angle that a stream of mixture emerging from said line will strike the far side of the tank tangentially thereof, and a hopper for dry ingredients having an outlet positioned at a point directly above the stream of mixture emerging from said line Whereby the dry ingredients are added to the mix in said stream.

4. A mixing machine comprising, a cylindrical mixing tank having an inlet and an outlet, beater means within the tank, a return line from said outlet to a point adjacent said inlet said line entering the side of the tank at such angle that a stream of mixture emerging from said line will strike the far side of the tank tangentially thereof, means in said line to force mixture through said line, a hopper for dry ingredients having an outlet, a trough positioned to receive the dry ingredients from said hopper outlet, said trough having an outlet positioned directly over said stream emerging from said line, and means to move the dry ingredients in said trough to said trough outlet.

5. A mixing machine comprising, a cylindrical mixin tank having an inlet and an outlet, beater means within the tank, a return line from said outlet to a point adjacent said inlet, said line entering the side of the tank at such angle that a stream of mixture emerging from said line will strike the far side of the tank tangentially thereof to change the direction of travel of said stream, and a deflector in the plane of said line entering the side of said tank and in the path of said stream after its direction change to turn the stream downwardly whereby the stream will follow a spiral course about the interior of the tank, bafiies in said tank adjacent said beater inclined in the direction of travel of said stream but at a steeper angle to further deflect the course of said stream downwardly into said heater, means in said line to force mixture through said line, a hopper for dry ingredients, and means connected to said hopper for feeding the dry ingredients to the mixing tank in measured quantities, the point of emergence of the dry ingredients from said feeding means being directly above said stream 7' 7 between the point Where]said line enters; said tank and said'streamastrikes the far side thereof, whereby the dry ingredients" fall into, the stream.

JOSEPH J, DUGAS.

. REFERENCES CITED The following references are 0f record in the file of this patent: 1

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Muir etval Apr. 30,1907 Carozza. et a1, .P Mar. 31, 1925 Nlunber Number.

Great Britain May 15, 1941 

